Heel construction for flimsy foot coverings



Nov. 3, 1953 J. PAUL HEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR FLIMSY FOOT COVERINGS Filed April 2 1951 Patented Nov. 3, 1953 TENT OFFICE HEEL CONSTRUCTION FOR FLIMSY FOOT COVERINGS Walter J. Paul, Vista, Calif.

' Application April 2, 1951, Serial No. 218,853

6 Claims. (Cl. 36-10) This invention relates to a foot covering of the type disclosed in the prior Patents No. 1,912,539 and No. 1,991,624 granted to Richard C. Paul. They both disclose a liner or stiiener placed in the foot covering inside its heel portion and sewed to the same along their upper edges.

In both of the patents the liner or stiffener was of sucient depth measured from the upper edge of the foot covering, to rest upon the sole portion, and the function of the liner was to prevent the flimsy material of the heel from slipping down ony the heel of the wearer. In Patent No. 1,912,539 the liner was formed with two downwardly projecting lobes, the adjacent edges of which curved upwardly on the medial vertical axis of the liner and merged into a fairline arc to form a notch; the edges or sides of this notch converged towards each other on an acute angle. This notch was intended to give a shape that would t to the tendon of Achilles at the wearers heel, and to enable the heel portion to be form-fitting. Also, the upper edge oi' the liner, when the liner was laid flat upon a horizontal surface, was disposed along an arc on a radius that gave it considerable curvature. These features did not cooperate as satisfactorily as expected, and it was found that the excess of material near the upper edge of the liner (due to the arc-form) hada tendency to cause the upper edge of the foot covering to displace itself backward, that is, in a rearward direction, so as to prevent the desired form-fitting effect. Furthermore, a tendency developed for the flimsy material of the heel portion in the area between the edges of the notch to crowd itself upwardly into the notch so as to produce folds of the material at the liner just above the notch and at its vertex.

The present invention has for one of its objects to overcome these objections and to produce a liner that when attached in the heel of such a foot covering enables the same to be substantially form-fitting at and around the wearers heel, at the same time, supporting the flimsy heel in its proper elevated position.

Further objects of the invention will appear from a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing.

The invention consists in the features of the liner and the foot covering described herein that cooperate to produce a form-fitting self supporting heel for the article.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following specification, while the broad scope of the invention is pointed out in the appended claims.

liner that constitutes the principal element of the` invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view showing the heel portion of the foot covering as viewed in a vertical section on its medial vertical plane; and shows the parts in substantially the position and relation they have when the foot covering is being worn.

Figure 3 is a plan View of the liner showing the form of the same as it would appear when the liner is lying. flat upon a horizontal surface.

Referring more particularly to the parts, l indicates a foot covering which, in the present instance is formed of knit material. This foot covering is quite narrow in its vertical dimension so that when the foot is introduced into its upper opening 2 it can be worn inconspicuously in a low shoe or slipper. In accordance with my invention I provide a counter 3 operating as a stiifener or liner. It preferably has substantially the outline illustrated in Figure 3, being formed with two lobes 4 of substantially equal size `and shape,pand near the medial vertical axis a-a that passes through this liner the adjacent edges 5 of the lobes incline upwardly and converge so as to form a re-entran't angle or notch .6. The vertex of this angular notch is located substantially on the axis a-a.

Furthermore, instead of forming the upper edge of the liner 3 along an arc having considerable curvature as in the prior patent referred to, I provide it with an upper edge 'l that is substantially straight though preferably very slightly bowed in an upper direction, somewhat as indicated in Figure 3.

Throughout the area of the completed liner I provide a plurality of perforations 8 of small size such as were shown in one of the prior patents referred to. They assist in supporting the liner in position on the wearers heel and also prevent accumulation of perspiration on the inner side or face of the liner. These perforations are omitted from Figure 3 but are shown in Figure 2. This liner is formed of thin flexible material.

The angle formed by the converging edges 5 is sufficiently large to prevent the material crowding up as described above. I prefer to make it approximately a right angle. I have found that size of angle to be satisfactory in preventing any tendency of the material below the notch to force itself up into the notch and produce folds on or adjacent to the notch and its edges 5. The tendency to form such folds seems to be developed from the action of the wearers foot when walking.

Though in the two prior patents referred to the lower edges or edge of the liner extended down substantially to the position of the sole of the article to support the liner and heel portion, I nd that with a notch .approximately ninety degrees two requirements are lled: first, to prevent forming the folds of material at the notch; and second, this wide angle will still ride on the heel tendon, and hold -up :the heel -as though the liner had depth enough tohave .lits lower edge rest on the sole at the heel of the article. This relation is illustrated in LFigure which shows the upper edge of the .liner sewed into the upper edge of the foot covering by suitable stitching.

The two lobes 4 are integral with each other and the vertex of the notch between them is :located about half-way'downtheheel line, but may be located slightly above thatpointfsomewhat as illustrated in Figure 2.

As indicated'most clearly'in'Figur'e 3, when the liner is lying flat upon a :substantially flat surface, the sides 5 of the angle then form a right angle with each other. Hence, when the liner is secured inthe foot covering the actual angle formed between thes'esides 5 will be considerably Smaller than a right angle.

In attaching the fliner fin place of course, the vertex of the notch or angle 6 should lie substantially in the medialforfcentral front and rear plane of the foot covering.

Many other'fembodimentszof'the invention may be resorted to `Without departing `from thespirit of the'invention.

I claim as my invention, fand desire to vsecure by Letters Patent:

1. A 'foot covering comprising la body of 'flimsy material and la fco'unt'er, said body .having an upper opening to receive fthe foot and -being of relatively narrow vertical 'width to enable 'the same to be worn inconspicuously 'with a low shoe or slipper, and .said counter-including la :pair of laterally extending lobes Iintegrallyiconnected to each other 'at their vrearends, said lobes having lower edges of upwardlyextendingiarcuate conguration disposed on lines .intersecting each other at the rear of saidlobes to form 'an upwardly directed notch, the upper edge of said counter being secured to the upper inside heel edge of said body, and said lower edges of said lobes terminating at a height enabling said lower edges and the internal faces of said lobes to rest on the opposite outwardly and downwardly7 sloping heel surfaces of the wearers foot inserted in said foot covering 2. The device set forth in fclaim 1 wherein the edges of said notch are ldisposed with respect to each other so that at their intersection at the vertex of said notch they form substantially a right angle when `said counter is placed upon a substantially flat surface.

3. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein the "lowest points of the edges of said lobes are substantially midway between the upper and bottom edges of said body when said covering is folded 'atabout the junction of said lobes.

4. The device set forth in claim 1 wherein said lower edges of the lobescurve upwardly and rearwardly to a point of intersection well above the rearrnost point of bulge of the heel of said foot.

5. The device set forth in claim 1 whereby the position of the lowest points of the lower edges of said lobes is substantially three-quarters iof vthe distance from the top of said body to the bottom of the sole of the body when said foot covering is on the wearers foot.

6. The-device set forth in-claim 1 'wherein the forward edges `of Isaid lobes are --of arcuate configuration curving downwardly from the rupper edges of said lobes to the lowermostipoint of the lower edges of said lobes.

WALTER J. PAUL.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,912,539 Paul `June 6, 1933 2,001,293 Wilson May 14, 1935 2,281,160 Kuerschner Apr. 28, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 183,054 GreatBritain July'20, 1922 v114,599 Australia Y Jan. 28,1942 554,791 Great Britain July'19,'1943 

